He might not consistently wow punters like Anamoe or Zaaki, but for an eight-year-old, Cascadian still commands plenty of respect.
He was far too good for his competitors in the Hill Stakes at Randwick, comfortably winning the $1 million Group 2 feature over 2000m by almost 3.5 lengths.
When the $2.20 favourite Montefilia ran out of gas at the 300m mark, that was when $2.80 winning chance Cascadian pounced for James Cummings, with star jockey James McDonald aboard.
2022 Hill Stakes Replay
“James rode him to get the 2000, didn’t panic, trusted the horse,” assistant conditioner Darren Beadman said.
“He had a lot of horse coming to the corner and had the right horse to drag him into the race and got back onto the nicer ground in the home straight.
“Good, solid performance from a very honest, worthy galloper.”
Beadman said his evergreen stayer’s next challenge would be the Craven Plate, also over 2000m, on October 15.
“There are some nice races for him. James said there’s the Craven Plate for him next start,” Breadman said.
“Both runs (this preparation – third in the Memsie Stakes and fourth in the Makybe Diva Stakes) have been great. He came here a fresh horse.”
McDonald praised Cascadian’s ability to improvise when under pressure, as he was on Saturday.
“He’s been brilliant in big fields over shorter distances so he’s had to ruck through the middle of them,” he said.
“But today, small field and the great turn of foot that he’s got, he’s very adaptable.
“He’s very much in the mold of the old Hartnell’s of the world. They just turn up and perform where horses get up to a level but can’t hold it, well they hold it. Great performance.
“He’s not a world beater sort of horse. He’s not going to be a wow Anamoe or Zaaki or anything like that, but he’s there making them honest.”
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